Hundreds of demonstrators gathered Thursday evening in Santa Barbara and Santa Maria to call attention to recent federal immigration activity and to remember the legacy of late civil rights leader John Lewis.
In Santa Barbara, more than 1,200 people gathered at the entrance to Stearns Wharf for an event organized by Indivisible Santa Barbara to honor Lewis’ memory with a protest against the Trump administration and its crackdown of undocumented immigrants. The event was titled “Good Trouble Lives On,” after the phrase coined by Lewis.
Lewis, who died on July 17, 2020, was known for his work in the civil rights movement and was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1986. He served for 17 terms.
The Santa Barbara protesters lined the sidewalk along Cabrillo Boulevard with candles and signs, and demanded that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement be kept out of Santa Barbara County. Others held signs criticizing President Donald Trump and waved upside-down American flags.
Javier Rosas said he came to the event to express his support for the immigrant community.
Rosas, who was born and raised in Santa Barbara, said he is the son of an immigrant who gained citizenship. His mother moved to the United States with the help of his grandfather, who came to the country under the Bracero Program during World War II.
“I want to strongly spread the word that this country is built on immigrant backs, and we’re here to stay,” Rosas said. “The more they try to push us away, the more we come back stronger. This is our home.”
In Santa Maria, an estimated 150 people gathered outside City Hall on Thursday evening for a candlelight vigil organized by Indivisible Santa Maria.
The event was held as a somber moment of remembrance, honoring the legacy of Lewis and, according to organizers, calling attention to recent ICE actions in Santa Barbara County.
Pam Gates, a leader with Indivisible Santa Maria, told the crowd that while many members wanted to hold another protest, the group chose a quieter gathering to mourn and reflect.
“We felt the time was necessary to come together as a community, to stand together and honor John Lewis, and all civil rights activists, and mourn a bit for what’s been happening,” Gates said.
The event featured three young speakers who shared personal stories about how deportation, discrimination and injustice have shaped their families’ lives. Gates told the crowd the night was meant to lift up youth voices and acknowledge the human cost of what she described as a cruel administration infringing on people’s rights.
About 20 attendees held protest signs along the sidewalk, but the majority of the crowd stood quietly, listening to speeches and clapping for the speakers.
Tables were set up by groups such as 805UndocuFund, Future Leaders of America, the Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy (CAUSE), MICOP805, the League of Women Voters and Planned Parenthood, offering information and volunteer opportunities.
The vigil also collected donations for local families affected by the ICE raids, including canned food and toiletries.
David Rosales, who said he has lived in Santa Maria for more than 14 years, brought several items to donate.
“I wanted to help the community, and politicians need to do something — they need to work for the people, not themselves,” Rosales said.
Rep. Salud Carbajal, D-Santa Barbara, had been scheduled to attend but remained in Washington, D.C., as the House prepared to vote on the Trump administration’s rescission package, which seeks to cut back $9 billion in public media and foreign aid funding. Gates told the crowd that Carbajal was “there fighting for us.”
The evening closed with a candlelight moment of silence in honor of those affected, including Jaime Alanis Garcia, a California farmworker who died this month while fleeing ICE agents during a recent raid.
Gates ended her speech with a call to action to Santa Maria city officials: “Quit talking and start doing.”
The groups at both events were met with a stream of honks from drivers expressing support as they passed by.
Thursday’s events come a week after federal agents from the Department of Homeland Security, ICE and the National Guard arrested 361 immigrants at two different facilities owned by Glass House Farms — one in Carpinteria and the other in Camarillo. Federal agents deployed smoke and flash-bang grenades at civilian protesters.
In the aftermath of the raids, activists continue to prompt local leaders for support as ICE continues its operations.
On Tuesday, the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors approved $105,000 in funding for the Immigrant Legal Defense Center to provide legal and support services to immigrant youth. The board also announced $240,000 for mental health services.
The Santa Barbara City Council agreed to meet with staff from 805 Undocufund, which has worked to protect immigrants and educate them on their rights.
Tahnia Mark has attended multiple protests and council meetings in support of protecting immigrants. Although she said she believes the demonstrations are important, she would like to see more action from the officials.
“It’s important and really good to feel with the community and the power that comes with it, but it is starting to feel difficult continuing to go to protests with not a lot of change (from the government),” she said.
Other Indivisible chapters held demonstrations Thursday in Lompoc and Solvang.
— Noozhawk reporter Nick Forselles contributed to this report.
